SHA expands options to book COVID-19 vaccine appointments

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) says it has enhanced its efforts to offer a variety of bookable, outreach and walk-in clinic options to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

According to the SHA, a number of urban and rural centres across the province are taking bookings, including:

• Big River
• Esterhazy
• Estevan
• Foam Lake
• Humboldt
• Kelliher
• Lanigan
• Lloydminster
• Melville
• Moose Jaw
• Moosomin
• Nipawin
• Ponteix
• Regina
• Rosetown
• Saskatoon
• Swift Current
• Tisdale
• Turtleford
• Wakaw
• Weyburn
• Yorkton

In northern Saskatchewan, the SHA said vaccine availability has increased by about 30 per cent.

As an example, the SHA said vaccine availability has moved from 3,065 doses for the week of Sept. 12 to 18, to 3,971 doses the week of Sept. 19 to 25 in planned community clinics throughout the region.

The health authority noted that the Battlefords area is bringing back its drive-thru clinic.

“While we’ve made great progress in immunizing Saskatchewan, we have to keep evolving our strategies to meet the needs of the public,” said Derek Miller, commander of the SHA Emergency Operations Centre.

“Allowing more booked clinics provides flexibility for those residents that require it, while also continuing to offer pop-up walk-in clinics, booster doses for eligible populations and also continuing with our school immunization program for youth. Please don’t wait – get vaccinated today.”

The SHA added that almost 84 per cent of all new cases and hospitalizations last month in Saskatchewan involved residents who were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.

The authority said recent analysis of 1,600-plus cases indicated 98 per cent of COVID-19-positive school-aged children live in households with unvaccinated or partially vaccinated parents.

More information on booking an appointment or viewing available clinics can be found at the provincial government’s website.